Toronto Principal Accused of Making List to Track the Performance of Black Students

June 29, 2018

Etobicoke School of the Arts in Toronto, Canada.

A principal at a school in Toronto has been accused of racial profiling after making a list of black students to note their performance.

Peggy Aitchison, the principal at the Etobicoke School of the Arts, created the list and shared it with other teachers at the school, the publication Globe and Mail reported on Wednesday. Aitchison reportedly shared the list with teachers in November to help track the performance of black students.

In an email to students, Aitchison admitted to showing the list to teachers and apologized for creating it. She called the list “a limited, flawed and ultimately inappropriate approach to identifying gaps in supports and so, that very same day, I retracted that compilation that was based solely on perceptions,” the Globe and Mail reported. Aitchison will be transferring schools, CBC reported.

The Toronto District School Board’s (TDSB) director of education, John Molloy, has also issued an official apology from the school.

“In the TDSB, we are working with every school community to confront racism and all forms of discrimination. This is important and challenging work,” Molloy sent in a statement to Newsweek. “A mistake was made by the principal of Etobicoke School of the Arts that has hurt students and their families; the principal and the TDSB apologize for this. Moving forward, we will be working with Principal Aitchison and all principals on appropriate training. In the meantime, the Board continues to investigate and review these issues.”